EMOM training: how the EMOM method makes your workouts more effective
EMOM stands for Every Minute on the Minute – a training method that challenges strength, endurance and mental toughness at once. Learn how it works and why it is so effective.
Contents
What is EMOM?
EMOM stands for Every Minute on the Minute. The principle could hardly be simpler: at the start of every minute you perform a set number of reps. Whatever is left of that minute is your rest.
If you get 10 pull-ups done in 35 seconds, you have 25 seconds of rest before the next minute starts. That system makes EMOM one of the smartest training methods there is: you regulate the intensity automatically through your own performance.
How does EMOM work?
A typical EMOM workout runs for 10 to 30 minutes. You decide in advance:
- which exercise(s) you will perform
- how many reps per minute
- how many minutes the workout lasts
Example
12-minute EMOM: 8 burpees every minute. If those 8 burpees take you 40 seconds, you get 20 seconds of rest. Done after 12 minutes – 96 burpees in total.
There are variations too, such as E2MOM (every 2 minutes) or alternating EMOM sets where you do exercise A on odd minutes and exercise B on even minutes. That variation is especially popular in CrossFit.
Benefits of EMOM
1. Clear structure and time pressure
EMOM brings discipline to your training. The one-minute clock forces you to stay focused – no long breaks, no hesitating. You know exactly when the next set starts.
2. Automatic intensity control
On a bad day you slow down and rest more – the workout scales itself. On a good day you finish the reps faster and recover better.
3. Measurable progress
EMOM is perfectly measurable. You can follow how your remaining time per minute develops over weeks. If your reps used to take 50 of the 60 seconds and now take 35, that's real progress.
4. Works with anything
EMOM works with bodyweight, kettlebells, a barbell, gymnastics movements or even running. It fits a home workout just as well as a session in a CrossFit box.
EMOM examples for beginners & advanced athletes
Beginner: 10-minute EMOM
- Minutes 1, 3, 5, 7, 9 → 10 air squats
- Minutes 2, 4, 6, 8, 10 → 8 push-ups
Advanced: 20-minute EMOM
- Minutes 1, 4, 7, 10, 13, 16, 19 → 5 pull-ups
- Minutes 2, 5, 8, 11, 14, 17, 20 → 8 dips
- Minutes 3, 6, 9, 12, 15, 18 → 15 hollow body rocks
Tips for your first EMOM
- Start conservatively: pick 50–60 % of your max load, or a rep count you can comfortably finish in 30–40 seconds.
- Use a timer: an EMOM without a timer isn't an EMOM. Set a one-minute interval.
- Log your times: note how much rest you had left after each session. That's how you see progress.
- Increase the load, not the reps: if you consistently have more than 30 seconds of rest, it's time to raise the intensity.
Tracking EMOM with Strive Up
Strive Up comes with a built-in EMOM timer and helps you log your sessions systematically. You can see at a glance how your performance develops over weeks – and when it's time to take on the next level.
The app also reminds you of sessions you still owe yourself and shows which skills you have already unlocked through regular EMOM work.
Train smarter with Strive Up
Track your training, use the EMOM timer, follow your PRs and discover your personal skill roadmap – for free.
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